Page 18 of Magic Unrestrained

Drawing on his demonic abilities, Gage reached out with his empathic sense, feeling the swirl of emotions inside the building—greed, ambition, lust, and fear. He closed his eyes, letting the emotions wash over him, searching for weak points, vulnerabilities. In a gathering like this, emotions ran high, and Gage was more than capable of using that to his advantage.

He slipped through the side entrance, blending into the shadows. His presence went unnoticed as he moved deeper into the mansion, his eyes scanning the opulent hallways for any sign of the meeting. The heavy scent of perfume and blood hung in the air, and the soft murmurs of conversation drifted from the rooms around him. The place oozed luxury, but beneath the surface, Gage could feel the rot—the darkness that Vesper cultivated so expertly.

Finally, he found what he was looking for.

It was a grand room, filled with an assortment of supernaturals, all of them powerful in their own right. Vampires, warlocks, shifters, fae, even a few demons. They were seated in a semicircle around Madame Vesper herself, who sat like a queen on her throne, her dark eyes gleaming with dangerous intent. Beside her stood Edward Falwell, his tall frame draped in shadows, his presence commanding the room’s attention.

Gage slipped into the back of the room, unnoticed for now, and began to subtly work his power. He let his empathic abilities flow through the room, seeping into the minds of those gathered. His touch was light, almost imperceptible, but it was enough. He planted the seeds—doubt, fear, suspicion. Little by little, the tension in the room began to grow.

A vampire near the front shifted uncomfortably, his gaze flicking nervously toward Falwell. A warlock whispered something to the fae beside him, a note of distrust in his voice.The atmosphere grew heavy, charged with uncertainty. Gage could feel it working, feel the cracks forming in whatever it was that was Vesper and Falwell’s carefully constructed alliance.

But just as he was beginning to gain momentum, the room’s door swung open with a bang, and Gage’s heart dropped.

Lyrion Thornheart strode into the room, his presence immediately commanding attention. The fae enforcer’s eyes swept the room, cold and calculating, until they landed on Gage. For a split second, Gage’s blood ran cold. Thornheart’s eyes narrowed, recognition flashing in them.

“Well, well,” Thornheart said, his voice a dangerous purr as he moved toward Gage. “I was wondering where you’d disappeared to.”

Gage straightened, his jaw tightening as he met Thornheart’s gaze. “I could say the same about you.”

Thornheart’s lips curled into a smirk, though his eyes remained hard. “What’s the matter, Tremblay? Are you here to meddle in affairs that are so far above your station? Or are you here for her?”

The implication in Thornheart’s words made Gage’s blood boil, but he kept his voice steady. “I’m here for my own reasons. Savannah can take care of herself.”

Thornheart’s sneer deepened. “Oh, I don’t doubt that. But I also know that you’ve developed a bit of a soft spot for her. Don’t think for a second that will protect you from what’s coming.”

Gage took a step closer, his voice low and deadly. “If you think for one second I’m going to let you or your precious Fae Council hurt her, you’re wrong. Savannah’s her own person. She doesn’t answer to you, and neither do I.”

Thornheart’s eyes flashed with anger, but before he could respond, Vesper’s voice cut through the tension.

“Enough.” She stood from her throne, her gaze flicking between Gage and Thornheart. “This is neither the time nor theplace for your petty squabbles. We have more important matters to discuss.”

Thornheart shot Gage a final glare before stepping back, though the promise of retribution lingered in his eyes.

Gage exhaled slowly, turning his attention back to the room. He couldn’t afford to get distracted now. He had come here for information, and if Vesper and Falwell were planning something big, he needed to know what it was. But as the meeting resumed, Gage could feel the tension in the room escalating.

Falwell spoke of power, of domination, his voice like silk as he wove his web around the gathered supernaturals. He promised them wealth, control, and influence, all under his and Vesper’s leadership. But Gage knew better. Falwell wasn’t offering partnership—he was offering enslavement. And now, as the seeds of doubt Gage had planted began to take root, the room grew restless.

Gage’s concentration wavered, but then a sharp pang of emotion hit him—fear, anger, betrayal. Someone had caught on.

His heart skipped a beat. Falwell’s eyes were scanning the room, his demonic senses flaring as he searched for the source of the dissent. Gage gritted his teeth, pulling his power back, trying to blend into the background. But it was too late.

Falwell’s gaze locked onto him, his eyes narrowing.

“There’s someone here,” Falwell growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous register. “Someone working against us.”

The air in the room grew thick, suffocating, as Falwell’s power intensified. It was a darkness that crept beneath the skin, an oppressive weight that pressed down on his chest, making it hard to breathe. The supernatural creatures scattered around the room—vampires, warlocks, shifters, fae, and other lesser demons—shifted uneasily, their eyes darting nervously toward Gage. They sensed it too: the storm that was about to break, the violence that simmered just beneath the surface.

Gage could feel Falwell’s gaze boring into him, sharp and malevolent, and his own muscles tensed in response. His instincts screamed at him to move, to strike first, but the chaos around him kept his feet rooted. He couldn't reveal himself too soon. There was still a chance he could play this off, manipulate the situation without releasing the monster inside him. He had to stay calm.

But then, in an instant, all hope of control evaporated.

With a roar that shook the very foundation of the mansion, Falwell exploded with power. A wave of demonic energy surged outward like a blast of heat from a furnace. The shockwave hit with the force of a bomb, sending supernaturals crashing against the walls. Tables and chairs flew across the room, splintering into pieces, and the floor beneath them cracked under the sheer force of the energy.

Gage barely had time to react, throwing himself to the side as a nearby vampire was hurled into the far wall, collapsing with a sickening thud. The air sizzled with dark magic, the stench of sulfur and brimstone overwhelming. Falwell’s energy was a living thing, twisting and writhing through the air, and Gage could feel the demonic tendrils clawing at his skin, trying to pull him under.

He gritted his teeth and rolled to his feet just as Falwell was on him, faster than Gage had anticipated. The raw strength of the demon’s attack was nearly enough to shatter his defenses. Falwell’s hands gripped Gage’s shoulders, the pressure crushing, and Gage’s knees buckled under the weight.

“You think you can stop me?” Falwell snarled, his voice a twisted growl of rage. “You’re nothing.”

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